beals



No. 6l4,825. Patented Nov'. 29, I898.

' I F. W. BEALS. FOLDING ATTACHMENT FUR SEWING MACHINES.

(Application filed Jan. 19, 1895.)

(No Model.)

I gum/Mot I M Gbmm1 4 Z wflmeowy 0K 6. C. 5.

FREDERICK \V. BEALS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN GREENE, OF SAME PLACE.

FOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWiNG-MACHINES.

SPECiFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 614,825, dated November 29, 1898.

Application filed January 19,1895. Serial No. 535,428- (No model.)

T0 to whom it ntay concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. BEALS, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Folding Attachments for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable any one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention consists in new and useful improvements in a cloth-folding attachment for sewing-machines, on which application for Letters Patent was filed by me April 23, 1894, Serial No. 508,562.

The objects of my improvements are to so construct a folding attachment that the movable part may be raised Without disturbing the form of the fold, to so construct the folder that large transverse seams may more readily pass through it, and also to so construct the pressenfoot that the seam will be kept from slipping out from under the needles. The first of these objects I accomplish by attaching the movable part of the folder to the arm of the machine in such a manner that it can be swung outward and upward from the work. The second object I accomplish by forming the top instead of the bottom of the movable part of the folder of a spring. Thus when a transverse seam enters the folder the movement of the spring on both parts of the folder is upward instead of downward. Therefore the movement is not stopped by the top plate of the machine, so that any transverse seam which will enter the folder will pass through it. The third object I accomplish by extending the outer part of the presser-foot straight to the front of the machine instead. of curving it upward, and also extending it slightly below the rest of the presser-foot. As the fold passes under the presser-foot it comes in contact with the projection and is thus kept from slipping to one side. Therefore the stitches are always at the same distance from the edge of the fold.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form of my improvements, Figure 1 is an isometric projection of my invention attached to an ordinary two-needle sewing-ma chine, part of the arm and top plate of the machine being broken away. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the movable part of the attachment, showing a part of the arm to which it is attached. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the two parts of the folder in position for operation, the rod holding the movable part being in section. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of my improved form of presser-foot.

Like letters of reference refer to corresponding parts in all the views of the drawings.

5 is the top plate of a sewing-machine; 6, the cloth-plate; 7 the feed-dog, and 8 the overhanging arm of the machine, in which are carried the needle-bar 9 and the presser-foot bar 10. As these parts are very similar in all machines of this class, my invention can be attached to any of them with little or no change.

My improvements proper consist of three parts-the fixed part 11 and movable part 12 of the folder and the presser-foot 13.

The fixed part 11 contains a recess 14 and has its top partly formed of a spring 15, fastened thereto by means of a screw 16 or other suitable means. This fixed part 11 is preferably attached to the top plate of the machine by means of the plate 17, which is socured to the top plate 5 by screws 18, one of which passes through a slot 19, so that the fixed part 11 may be adjusted to a suitable angle with the movable part 12, one end of the plate 17 being bent upward and attached to said fixed part 11 by any suitable means.

The movable part 12 contains a recess 20 and has its top partly formed by a spring 21, which is attached to the main part 12 by a screw 22 or other suitable means. This movable part 12 is attached in any suitable way to the arm 23, which is pivotal to the plate 24 by means of the screw 25. Projecting from the arm 23, at or nearly at right. angles to it, is an arm 26, the top part of which is adapted to comein contact with the stop 27, and thus prevent the movable part of the folder from approaching too near to the fixed part, while it is kept from receding from the fixed part by the engagement of the lower part of the arm 26 with the dog 28, which is secured to or formed in one with the spring 29. The arm 26 is released by pressure on the thumb-piece 30 of the spring 29. The stop 27 and spring 29 are provided with slots 35, through which pass the screws that are used to secure said stop and spring to the plate 24. By means of these slots said spring and stop may be raised or lowered, thus regulating the distance between the fixed and movable part of the folder. The plate 2i has a broadened extension 31 at its outer edge, by means of which it is fastened to the face of the machine-arm, as best shown in Fig. 2. This plate also has a bevel 32 cut on its outer face to allow the spring 29 to be pressed back to release the arm 26.

The presser-foot 13 is similarto an ordinary presser-foot of a two-needle machine, except that the part 33 outside of the outer needlehole is extended straight instead of being curved upward at the end like the rest of the foot, and is made thicker, so as to form a projection 55% below the rest of the presserfoot, Fig. 4.

To operate the folder, the arm 26 is released by pressure on the thumb-piece 30 of the spring 29, the arm 23, carrying the movable part 12 of the folder, is swung upward and outward, and the presser-foot raised in the usual manner. One of the pieces of cloth is brought up from the outside of the machine and folded into the recess 14: of the fixed part of the folder. The other piece of cloth is brought up from the inside over the fixed part of the folder and the edge folded into the recess ll to interlock the first piece. The movable part of the folder and its attached arm are then swung to their normal position and the presser-foot lowered on the cloth. Then all that is required of the operator is to guide the cloth into the folder. The tapering form of the recess in the two parts of the folder and their inclined position to each other draw the two pieces of cloth into a close fold, and the projection 3t of the presserfoot prevents the tendencyof the fold to work from under the foot on this side.

The fixed part 11 of the folder is substantially the same as that described by me in my previous application. Therefore I do not claim it except in combination with the other parts of the improvements.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a folding attachment for sewing-machines, the combination of two fold-forming parts, said parts being each formed of a block of unyielding material, recesses in the opposing faces of said parts and facing each other, and a flexible top for each of said parts.

2. In a folding attachment for sewing-mar chines, the combination of a fixed part, an independent movable part, means for locking said latter-named part against motion, a recess in the opposing faces of each of said parts, said recesses facing each other, and a flexible top for each of said parts.

3. In a folding attachment for sewing-machines, a fixed part and a movable part entirely separate and disconnected from said fixed part, each part having a recess in its opposing face whereby a lap-seam can be made, a suitable laterally and upwardly swinging arm pivoted to the arm of the machine carrying said movable part, and stops for locking the said movable part against motion. 7

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal, this 8th day of January, 1895, in the presence of the two sub scribing witnesses.

FREDERICK IV. BEAL.

IV itnesses:

A. G. FOWLER, J. F. WEsToN. 

